


the human soul on fire

by rebelkbex (reyanehokkain)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mage Cullen Rutherford
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 10:39:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10332812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyanehokkain/pseuds/rebelkbex
Summary: “The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire”orCullen is a mage and there is a Dorian involved.





	

**Author's Note:**

> *hands the fandom +1 Mage!Cullen* I just like the thought of Mage!Cullen and this is happier than I expected it to be, so yeah. I just find myself unable to produce angst if it involves Cullrian.

He’s always known.

As a child, he felt the power under his skin, a gentle hum that could become a roar if he wanted it too.

And it scared him.

It scared him like it scared any good Andrastian, so he hid in the one place that they would never expect him, drowning the hum in too much lyrium, but still watching just enough so that if he ever had to, he could turn that hum into a roar.

But when he joins the Inquisition, he knows that he needs to leave his fear, and the lyrium, in the past.

Cassandra is a help at first, when he suffering from the shakes and the migraines of true withdrawal. But later, as withdrawal fades and his magic returns, he knows he needs a different kind of help.

He just doesn’t expect to find it from Dorian.

-

Cullen isn’t blind, he knew from the moment that Dorian fell into his arms outside of Haven, the man was going be either a blessing or a curse. And so far, for the former Templar, he’s managed to remain both.

But when Dorian finds him hiding in an old library under the main hall, lobbing weak fireballs at some of the practice dummies that he’s “borrowed”, he thinks that the mage manages to put a few extra points in the blessing category.

“Commander, I’m fully okay with admitting that my eyesight might be going as a result of that swill you Fereldens call beer.” Cullen can’t help the chuckle that escapes him, as he’s reminded of the particularly passionate rant that Dorian had gone on about how he’s suffering because no one around here understands good alcohol. “But please indulge me and tell me that I did just see you casting fireballs?”

“If I tell you that you didn’t, are you going to believe me?” Cullen doesn’t even have to look at Dorian to know that he’s got the biggest shit-eating grin that he’s ever seen.

“No, not in the slightest.” Cullen is still not looking at Dorian, so he’s surprised when he feels the mage’s hands on his, moving his fingers around to form a different grip. “There, that should help you form a nice fireball.” Cullen rolls his eyes, but does so just please the man in front of him. “You know, if you wanted, I could help you with this. All I ask for in return is a bottle of Antivan Red and to win all of our chess matches from here on out.” Cullen laughs.

“I’ll agree to the bottle of Red, but you’re going to have to make a better argument for the chess matches.” Dorian grins, still shit-eating, but also soft enough that Cullen counts it as bit of a victory.

-

At Adamant, things come to a head.

Dorian gets knocked off of his feet by a Terror demon and his staff goes flying, landing right at Cullen’s feet.

Cullen doesn’t hesitate though.

He sweeps the staff up and spins in the way that Dorian has been painstakingly teaching him for the past several weeks, feeling a thrill go through him when the fire he shoots out finds the Terror square in the chest. But the moment the demon is gone, Cullen is across the field and falling to Dorian’s side.

“Well, I think your practice paid off.” Dorian says as he tries to sit up, only to be pushed by down by Cullen.

“Yeah, now only if I had a teacher who hadn’t slept through all of the courses about healing magic.” Dorian laughs, but it ends abruptly as his face scrunches up in pain, letting Cullen know that he’s hurt a lot more than he appears to be.

Cullen starts to look around and sees that some of the soldiers have stopped fighting to watch whatever is going with them and Cullen feels rage boil up inside of him. “If you aren’t going to fight, then one of you go and get a damn healer!” Two of the soldiers nod frantically and take off in the direction of the camp, while the remaining ones form a circle around Dorian and Cullen, keeping them guarded.

“Amatus,” Dorian says, regaining Cullen’s attention. There’s a smile on his face even though he feels like he’s been knocked over a few times by Bull and his stupid shield bash. “Thank you.” Cullen takes Dorian’s hand and smiles back at him.

“Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me @ bisexualcullenrutherfords on tumblr


End file.
